Kevin's Reports
June 2008
Dear Parents
At the first Hilton College Speech Day in 1872, the headmaster, Rev. W Newnham stated that he would never give a good prize for mere cleverness, that industry and good behaviour were what he desired to encourage; that it was nothing to him if through the colony “Hiltonian” and “cleverness” became synonymous; the desire of his heart was that “Hiltonian” and “gentleman” should be convertible terms…
This should still be the desire of our hearts as a school and as parents. In the present age, character is paramount; it is not what you have done, but who you are that is the more important quality.
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Another term has flown bye and as I prepare for my trip to the Red Sea with boys and parents I am reminded of what a good term this has been. Busy with work and plays and sport and fun. Our boys have been wonderfully involved in such a diverse range of activities that I find it very difficult to know where all of my 82 boys are involved and often discover by accident that a Pearcite is active in an exciting area, offering quiet but valuable service, or lost in a pursuit of an interest. Some of them were in the two plays Grease and Boo to the Moon, on stage or as part of the important support team. Many have excelled in their chosen sport. Craig Andrew, Garth Geber and Arthur Horne have just been part of the School 4-Ball Team that came third in a top schools golf tournament. Wilhelm van der Walt and Garth Gerber will play provincial rugby this holiday. Others will be involved in the Independent Schools Rugby festival in July. Ross Jakins, Theuns Nel and Torben Nowak are at present on the Tennis Tour to Cape Town.
The Choir under the leadership of Jaco Dippenaar (22kg lighter!) will be at the World Choir Games in Germany this July and from Pearce, in the choir, we have: Ntshela Makakane, Kwadwo Adjepong-Boateng, Thabo Gcabashe, TJ Malinga, Cameron Coutts, Keith Gathercole, James du Plessis and Francois Kassier. All of us who have had the opportunity to hear them recently will know that they will do us proud in this international competition. CJ Hubble and Cameron Coutts will be diving with me in the Red Sea off Sharm-el-Sheik during the first week of the holiday. Eddie Shayo, Vuyo Ncube, Matthew Bower, Ishtiaque Mahomed, Matt Grinaker, Dennis Jedburgh, Jason Harty, Ilyaas Mayet and James Hough are on the Science Tour to the USA. Duncan Leslie recently won top awards for his photography; he won the Baird and Oliver trophy for the best junior photograph at the Royal Show and the Klint Zasman Memorial Trust Photographic Competition. (I hope I have not left any names out!)
Unfortunately, we loose two wonderful Pearce Boys at the end of this term. Severin Tyroller has been with us for a year from Munich, Germany and has been a full member of the Matric Leadership group. He leaves behind good friends and takes with him wonderful memories. Torben Nowak from Hamburg, Germany has spent the last 6 months as a Form 4 and, like Severin, he too has maximised his stay with us. Torben was a valuable member of both the 1st Tennis and 1st Hockey Teams. His sporting prowess will be sorely missed. We have been blessed with a good number of boys on short term stays and exchange, but it looks like we will not have any more for a while, apart for a short visit next term of a boy from Wellington College, where Alex Rudd was on exchange earlier in the year.
Another loss for Pearce will be our new tutor, Paul Venter, who moves to become Assistant Housemaster in Falcon. We have enjoyed his term with us and the positive impact and relationships he has made in this short time and know he will be an asset in his new position. His tutees will return to Gavin Thomson, as per the first term. Good news is that James Robinson, who left us at the end of the first term, will be returning and we look forward to having him back in Pearce again.
The Pearce Family Day this year will be on 7th September, and we encourage you all to make the effort to join us on this relaxed family occasion. Please remember that these events are compulsory for the boys and so leaves will only be granted only condition they return for the event which should start at about 11am. More details will follow closer to the time.
Matric portfolios change and the new ones are on the website. I trust these new opportunities for leadership will extend the Matric in new ways and so broaden their learning experiences. Their Matric Dance earlier in the term was a splendid occasion and memories will linger long and photographs prompting memories. I have some of these photos on my screen saver photos slide show and it is good to see these young men looking so like the gentlemen referred to at the start of this letter.
Enjoy the Holiday, maximise the time for Family and relationship building and return your sons to us for another big term (Matric and Form 4 examinations loom!)
Kevin
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April 2008
Dear Parents
"Life
is the movie you see through your own, unique eyes. It makes little difference what's happening
out there, its how you take it that counts."
Denis
Waitley
Another term begins with the usual frenetic phase of many others. However, I must say that the second term is my favourite. I feel that in this term the school gets into a rhythm, with most boys playing rugby or hockey and involved together on Saturdays. The gathering of the whole school at the main games gives a wonderful expression of community and unity. But it can also be a frustrating one for many boys with injuries interfering with dreams.
Our boys were busy in hockey, rugby and golf events during the holidays and some, including choir boys, returned early to assist with the New Boys Weekend and get in some valuable practice before the busy term. I am sure all the results will be available on the main school website, but my feedback indicates a very successful holiday of sport for the school on all fronts.
The Matrics enter the term ready for the renewed leadership opportunities. We are keeping the portfolios as is and will therefore make changes at half year. They are preparing for their big dance on 26th April. Parents, please remember that you are invited to join your son for a drink in the House Common room before the dance. His partner’s parents are also welcome. Please let Mrs H know numbers.
Alex Rudd and Matt Stretch return from exchanges to
We are slowly settling into the House and making it our own. A downstairs toilet that was giving endless problems has been re-plumbed and this should sort things out. Many of you may be aware of some of the frustrations the fancy cupboard locks gave us with broken and misplaced keys. We have now replaced all of these with a system that allows the boys to use their own locks and simplifies the whole process. This is being funded out of the key deposits we took in at the start of the year.
Please remember the following dates for parent/teacher consultations
- 2 May Parents’ Day (for parents
living more than 125 kms)
- 15 May Parents’ Day (for parents living less than 125 kms)
These give a wonderful opportunity for you to discover more
about the progress of your son and I urge all of you to attend the appropriate
day.
Two other big days are:
- 3 May Hilton/Michaelhouse
- 7 June Hiltonian Day (hockey & rugby vs College)
These are important days in the life of the wider school community and it is always good to bump into so many of you on these festive occasions.
Pearce House welcomes a new Tutor and a new staff member in
Mr. Paul Venter. Paul joins the History department in Dave Hammond’s place and
comes to us from many years of teaching at St Henry’s in
Finally, and not least, please do all feel free to “pop in” to my home for a visit and drink when you are at the school. I often feel we have so few occasions to communicate on an informal basis.
Looking forward to a great term!
Kevin
Older letters:
Welcome to 2008
I trust your holidays were as restful and enjoyable as mine. A sincere thank you for all the wonderful gifts you gave Cathy and me at the end of the year. They increased our waist line and gave us an edge on holiday enjoyment. I must say though that as I am getting older things change and so enjoyed this quote: Youth is when you're allowed to stay up late on New Year's Eve. Middle age is when you're forced to. ~Bill Vaughn
But that is behind us now as the school year starts with it traditional bang. I am writing as the Matrics have finished their training weekend and the new boys are settling in at the start of their career here. I must say that I am confident that this year, under the able leadership of Wilhelm van der Walt, the Matrics will be a potent force in the house enabling it to reach new levels of unity and creativity. I have enjoyed working with them towards the end of last year and over the past few days.
“Only as high as I reach can I grow, only as far as I seek can I go, only as deep as I look can I see, only as much as I dream can I be.”
For all of us this is the first year we start in the new house and that allows us to continue the work we began as we learnt what living in the new facility demanded. Boys will return to the new routines and some adjusted ones that will enable us to live more effectively in the house. There are for all new school evening times and so prep begins at 6.30pm. The best times for phoning will therefore be between preps (7.15 – 7.25) and after second prep (8.30 – 9.10) Lights are turned off at 9.15 this year and so the house will settle down earlier than in the past. Please do not contact during prep as it is very disruptive for all.
A few reminders:
- Please do send leave forms in by lunch on Fridays. Late forms are a real irritation to our system and create numerous planning problems.
- Please ensure all the items he returns with, are insured as we do have the odd theft from time to time, but more often the boy concerned will have left his valuable lying around and lost them.
- After leaves
please do return him on Sunday by 6.30. Flights from
- Please do contact the tutors with your concerns about academic issues. The boys meet with them weekly and they are tasked with this area of concern. It is best that if you email them, cc me as well. Our House website (contacts) will show you what tutor group you son is in and what their contact email address is.
- Please do contact me with your thoughts and concerns. My email is probably the easiest, but you should have my house telephone numbers etc.
The relationship between Home and school is an important one for me and I enjoy the varied opportunities to get to know you all better. Please do feel free to visit me at my home when you are down and have a chat and even a drink with Cathy and me. If you come down on a Friday, why not phone and visit. We are always here in the early evening. Later I go to Christian Fellowship meetings which are normally on Friday evenings. Most Saturdays we are also at home look after the precious sons not on leave.
Let’s have a great year together.
Kevin
END OF YEAR 2007
Dear Parents
"Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you." Jim Rohn
As this year draws to a close and the Matrics of 2007 are a memory, we can give thanks for a great year and look forward to all the new beginnings that 2008 will bring. we will start the first full year in our new House. we have new boys and new Matrics all keen to give of their best to the House and school.
I trust all will have a wonderful holiday and for those returning we will adventure forth in all that 2008 challenges us with.
Have a blessed holiday and reconnect soul, body and mind with the living life of Jesus Christ at this time of remembering his birth. Put your future in His hands and know the secure hope he offers.
OCTOBER 2007
Dear Parents
"An idealist believes the short run doesn't count.
A cynic believes the long run doesn't matter.
A realist believes that what is done or left undone
in the short run determines the long run." (Sydney J. Harris )
Often I feel like the realist, facing boys who are idealists and so we bang heads. As I stress the small immediate things that do have the capacity to influence their futures and they just see those as petty and are “over them”. What about you as parents at home?
As this final term of the year gets underway and the rush of year end activities starts, I thought it good to reflect on a few aspects of the year.
This has been a unique year in which we moved from the old to the new House and are enjoying settling in. I must say that there are still some snags that need to be completed and now we are dealing with all the “new things” that are not as robust or best fit for boy use and abuse. There are aspects of design and finish that we need to change to improve the functionality of the house. One of these is to put locking devises on the clothes lockers in the junior dorms to reduce “borrowing” of clothes. I am going to meet with the bursar soon to try and ascertain what help we may get from the school for some of these and then I will be able to calculate what we may need to do ourselves from House Funds. There is always a fine balance here.
Having started by sharing a frustration, I must quickly go on to say that from my role as a Housemaster, our new House is wonderful. The design is excellent and allows all the right things to happen in terms of work and play and interaction. I feel more able to monitor the goings on and my tutors are finding their roles more effective in the new House. I have enjoyed entertaining some of you in the common room and I am sure those of you who have had a look around were impressed.
Pearce has had an excellent year in many ways. We have enjoyed the leadership of a competent group of Matrics ably led by Faisal Wando. At speech day a good number of our boys received awards. We had the top academic in Form 1 (Francois Kassier) and Form 2 (Daniel Meyer) and Matric (Christian Callender- Easby). In Form 3 and 4 there is no top academic award but John Bowen- Davies and Matt Robinson must be right up there. Then there were the special prizes: Christian Callender-Easby received the Dick Graham Memorial Prize (best Trials results): Michael King received the Chaplain’s Prize; Rufaro Isiakpere the Richard Johnston Memorial Prize (awarded for courage and commitment); Wilhelm van der Walt the Noel Freebody Memorial Prize for Fellowship; and Andrew Bourdillon the Ross Osborn Scholarship as next year’s Head Boy.
Pearce continues to be competitive in a range of Inter- House competitions and we have won our fair share. Reports of these should be on the website. I am pleased with the level of commitment and support by participants and those who watch. This is an important component of House Spirit.
We have recently held the annual Charity Soccer day which was ably organised by Sebastian Wenger and colleagues. A fun afternoon of keenly competitive soccer ended abruptly with a thunderstorm. Equipment and clothing items are purchased and will be given to boost soccer amongst our Valley Community.
The Form 4’s enjoyed a memorable Formal Dance at the start of the term and the Matrics are soon to celebrate their Hilton College Career at the Leaver’s Dinner. These events are wonderful occasions and I am pleased with how boys afford them the necessary dignity and decorum.
Parents may wish to remember some opportunities to visit the school and be involved in different ways. You are all welcome at our Remembrance Day service on 11th November at 7pm, the Leaver’s Service on 18th November at 6pm, and the Carol services on 16th November at 5pm and 7pm. Boys do appreciate your support.
Exams are upon us and they are important for all the boys. Matrics are about to start and Form 4s begin in mid November. This sets a new tone on the House and signals the beginning of many “final” things as the year rushes to its conclusion and unleashes the boys for the holidays.
August 2007
Forgiveness is one of the greatest blessings we can extend to
another. The Psalmist says, "Blessed is he whose transgression is
forgiven." Freeing someone from their past failures and sins is the
greatest gift we can give to another.
The story is told in
The next day at noon in front of the newspaper office 800 "Pacos" showed up. They were all seeking forgiveness
and love from their fathers.
Another term is racing forward, and Pearce is caught up in this reality. We
have had a good half term, busy with Hockey and Rugby seasons, busy with Interhouse events (see other reports by Wando and others),
busy with settling into our New House that is almost complete, busy with
academic endeavours. Our boys continue to excel in a wide range of arenas. In
the Form 4 examinations at the end of last term, 7 of our 16 boys achieved
examination commendations, and 6 Academic Half Colours (A.
Bourdillon, Z. Bowen-Davies, D. Leslie, D. Merrick, M. Robinson, and W. van der
Walt) This is an excellent achievement.
This term we have two new boys joining us. Max Berninghaus, from
Outward Bound events and the Form 4 Leadership programme should extend and challenge all our boys. The Matrics approach their Trial Examinations and appear to be working hard. Their portfolios have changed and the “new look” website is tribute to this. Thanks to Derrick Greyvensteyn and Christian Callender-Easby. Please look at the portfolio lists recorded on the website.
Please remember our Family Day on 9th September.
The Matric Leavers Dinner is scheduled for the Saturday 3rd November.
On Saturday 6th October, there will be a Form 4 Formal dinner/ dance. During this evening I invite all Parents of Form 4 boys to join me at a special dinner for us in the cricket pavilion. This is something new and the intention is to gather as many Pearce Form 4 parents together. The aim is to have a social evening on the eve of their Matric year, to get to know each other better and to prepare for 2008. I will be doing a presentation on our Matric Leadership system and how it applies in Pearce House and making some other comments on adolescents today. I do trust that you will make an effort to join us. Unfortunately this dinner is not open to other parents and those of partners, but the Fleur de Lys Club will be open for them for dinner, and they can book through the club.
I do trust that you all have Lyn and my new phone numbers (see contacts page on website) at present the incoming line and telephone booth are still not functional but boys can be contacted through the internal switchboard line: 033 3830100 x 2312. We are pushing hard for the other lines to function.
Do feel free to contact my regarding any concerns, as communication is a key in our partnership together.
June 2007
Dear Parents
"Risk more than others think is safe. Care more than others
think is wise.
Dream more than others think is practical. Expect more than others
think is
possible." -
Another term has come and gone and this one has been a historical one for Pearce House. We have moved! And we are still moving the last remnants to the new House. Many of your boys have not been good about all their stuff and Mrs H has had to sort out all mountains of clothing and equipment left behind. We have found amongst many smaller items; 2 guitars, an Ipod speaker system, bicycles, whole sets of books and enough “marked” and “unmarked” clothing to start our own stock exchange. One boy had 17 items of marked clothing that he did not bother to bring across to the new house or even notice that they were missing. Mrs H has been a star and worked many extra hours to sort out and manage the process.
The new House is fantastic. It is functioning well and the architectural design is very innovative and really takes boarding into the future. As with any new building there are teething problems and we have and are experiencing our full share. Many of these are being attended to and some are complete. I must apologise for the lack of telephones and all I can say is that we are being patient and reminding people of our frustrations to ensure that they have not forgotten us. There are new routines and new issues of living in a new building and the boys are probably aware that I am grumpy at times as they learn to look after and respect the wonderful facility they have been given. With privilege comes responsibility and that is something all adolescents need to learn and re-learn.
One of the new features that we have already put to extensive use is a “paraplegic” bathroom facility. We have had many boys in various states of incapacity and numerous appendages in plaster. The shower options of this bathroom have made things easier for them. The aim is to try to find a suitable person to join the Pearce family as a scholar, who may not have thought about coming to Hilton due to some disability that was an apparent barrier. We now have a special bedroom and this ablution together, to make this possibility a reality. If you are aware of any suitable person please chat to me.
The Form 4’s are in the middle of examinations and it is very quiet in Bay 3. They appear to be in control and less stressed as some other groups, in the past, have been. We will wait for the results which will be on their reports.
The Matric Dance is upon us and that is a wonderful occasion and many boys are already preparing for this event. Many boys, these days, are as anxious and fussy as girls are supposed to be! Parents and partners and their parents are reminded that they are invited to drinks before the event. The drinks will be in the Pearce House Common room from abut 6.00 pm. Please inform let Mrs H if and how many are attending.
I always enjoy watching a variety of school sports on Saturdays and listening to our achievers lists on Thursdays, because I am delighted to see and hear of how many of our boys are giving of their best in many various sports and achieving at a high level. You can follow these on the website in the achievers section. Our boys are also consistent in achieving a good number of commendations for academic industry and many are close. We have a good work ethic in the house and hopefully that will assist the few who struggle or lack discipline, to improve their results.
Our Family day is on Sunday 9th September from about 11am. Please do plan to join us and celebrate our Pearce Family and our new House. We will braai at the pool but will have the new House open for viewing by those who have not yet had a chance to see around. Please note that Family Day is a compulsory event for all boys even if their parents cannot attend. So please do not plan leaves for that weekend.
As I plan my holiday, I hope to join the Mountain Club in the Drakensberg
for a week at the annual July Camp. I am also exploring options for my family
to get away to the
Kevin
March 2007
Dear Parents
A thought: “Your life is not going to be easy, and it should not be easy. It ought to be hard. It ought to be radical; it ought to be restless; it ought to lead you to places you'd rather not go.” - Henri Nouwen
This term has flown by and we are almost at the end. It has been an excellent start to the year, one which offers much in the way of change and opportunity. I must begin by thanking the Matrics who have assumed their portfolios with maturity and responsibility and been proactive in many areas under the able leadership of Faisal Wando.
While we have not been as successful as we may have wished in some Inter-house events, our House Spirit and commitment was good and we gave of our best in the face of fierce competition. I hope you have read the reports and seen the pictures on the website.
Our new boys have integrated and are now full Hiltonians. The Form 1’s were involved in a ceremony to mark this occasion and I am proud of how they have been willing to make the effort to engage with the process and all that is involved in integration.
Our new House continues to delight and frustrate. I am delighted at what we are going to be given and it will be a smart and very functional home from home. We are being spoilt and will need to all make the effort to care for this gift. I am frustrated because we are not very sure when we will be able to move and so begin to enjoy it. My plan is that during the first few days of next term we will do a full inspection of the facility. We cannot move until it is finished and snags complete, because I cannot have workers still finishing off odds and ends while we are resident. Then later in that week and over the weekend, we will move. The boys will move in groups as we will not have transport to move all at once. What is important, and I ask you as parents to assist me, is that we take home at the end of this term all unnecessary gear. All cricket bags, camping equipment, extra books etc should go home; this will reduce the amount to move. Each boy will move his own stuff, as then he is responsible and security is not compromised.
As the term draws to the end three boys are involved in the school play- Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night”. They are Faisal Wando, Christian Callender- Easby and Rufaro Isiakpere. The play is being performed with girls from The Wykeham Collegiate and there will be performances at both schools.
During this holiday many Pearce boys are involved in school related activities:
Everest Trek: I will be leading this and Michael Cohen (and family), Zwela Lusu, Sean Thompson (and mom) and Ntshela Makakane from Pearce will be with me. We are away the whole holiday and return on 17th April (the day after school starts!)
- Rugby Tour to
- Garth Gerber, Matthew Crawford, and Andrew Bourdillon
- Golf Tour to
- Gian Chidoni (Capt.), Craig Andrew, and Arthur Horne
- Hockey:
- Matt Grinaker and James Du Plessis are members of the U16 team to play in a festival during the holidays.
- Tennis:
- Michael King will
captain the school team on tour to
Breaking news: Congratulations to Tim and Sharlene Mills on the safe arrival of Rachel Grace- born Monday 13 March.
I wish you all a blessed Easter and await the new term with all the
excitement of Hockey and
Kevin